Habitat Selection of Male Eastern Wild Turkey (Meleagris gallopavo silvestris) in West Virginia

Abstract

Habitat Selection of Male Eastern Wild Turkey (Meleagris gallopavo silvestris) in West Virginia Jesse L. De La Cruz Eastern wild turkeys (Meleagris gallopavo silvestris) have been the focus of widespread research throughout their range, but research on male wild turkey home range size and habitat resource selection is limited in West Virginia. To address this lack of knowledge, I proposed the quantification of home range within a region (second-order) and core home range within a periphery (third-order) resource selection. Home ranges estimates and regional vector sampling grids were modeled against anthropomorphic land use and landscape cover features, land fragmentation, slope, and aspect raster data within the Geospatial Modeling Environment (GME) to derive proportional resource use and availability data. These data were analyzed by compositional analysis (CA) for 2 study areas in West Virginia. I estimated statewide and District I Study Area (DISA), located in the counties of Harrison, Marion, and Taylor, 50% and 95% adult and juvenile UD home range sizes both annually and seasonally. Additionally, I analyzed statewide and DISA second-and third-order resource selection for adults and juveniles both annually and seasonally. West Virginia Division of Natural Resources personnel monitored 55 radio-equipped male wild turkeys from September 2004 through August 2007 in West Virginia. I found that statewide adult (= 1,409.9 ha, SE = 180.3) and juvenile (= 1,394.3 ha, SE = 146.6) annual statewide 95% UD home ranges were similar (P = 0.78). I also found that statewide adult (= 310.3 ha, SE = 38.7) and juvenile (= 320.6 ha, SE = 190.3) annual 50% UD home ranges were also similar (P = 0.56). My analysis indicated that adult 50% UD home ranges were similar across seasons (